Liquid dispensing apparatus



13% 1935. w. H. DE LANCEY LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3, 1935. w. H. DE LANCEY LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 TTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1935. w. H. DE LANCEY I 2,022,932

v LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filqd May 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Decr3, 1935.

w. H. DE LANCEY 2,022,932

LIQUID DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Wk 77M ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1935. w. H. DE LANCEY 2,022,932

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 272;. 20. f0 5 Z2 y alllllzl I Y IZIIVIIIIIIIIIA\ INVENTOR Wan/my All: [A/Vcf) ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1935. w, D LANCEY 2,022,932

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 i 39 Z 3 l3! ,4

15 I 7 I {LA-l7 ll v 19 I:

I NV ENTOR 145mm H25 ZAxvczr TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID msrnusmc APPARATUS tion of Massachusetts Application May 26, 1934, Serial No. 722,683

12 Claims. (01.221-95) This invention relates to improvements in liquid dispensing apparatus of the so-called meter type, such as is now commonly used for dispensing gasoline, oils and the like.

The invention is directed to the problem of compelling the resetting of the movable, quantityindicating element of the meter as a condition precedent to operation of the pump and dispensing of liquid from the apparatus.

The invention has for an object the provision of a generally simplified, improved and substan tially fool-proof means for accomplishing the above purpose.

More particularly, the invention has for an object the provision of locking means, which normally hold the control element of the liquid pumping means in inactive position to prevent pumping, and means actuated by the resetting means for the register of the meter and only after the register has been completely reset to zero, to release such locking means, whereupon the control element may be moved to active position to start the pumping means. When the control element is moved into its inactive position, it is automatically held by the locking means and cannot then be moved sufliciently to operate the pumping-means in any way. Such element can then be moved only by releasing the locking means and this can only be effected after the register has been completely reset.

Other objects will appear as the detailed description proceeds and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a meter type, gasoline dispensing apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, taken similarly to Fig. land showing the hose nozzle in place on its support;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus with parts broken away to reveal the driving motor for the pump and the control for such motor;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view 7 taken on the line 4-4 of Fig, 1;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are cross sectional views taken oh the lines 5, 6-6 and 'l-l, respectively, of Fig. 4;

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the operating means for the flow control mechanism shown in off position;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the flow'control mechanism in on position;

Fig. 11 is a view taken on the line ||--|l of Fig. 7, showing the resetting mechanism and the interlock between such mechanism and the flow 5 controlling means;

Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are views similar to Fig. 11 and illustrate successive stages in the operation of the interlocking means;

Fig. 15 is a sectional elevational view taken on 10 the line |5--l5 0! Fig.7;

Figs. 16 and 1''! are sectional plan views taken on the lines lS-IG and l||'| of Fig. 11;

Fig. 18 is a sectional plan view taken on the line |8--|8'of Fig. 15; 15

Fig. 19 is a cross sectional view taken on the line |9|9 of Fig. 4; Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken on the line 20--20 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig.4 and showing 20 a modification;

Figs. 22, 23 and 24 are sectional views taken on the lines 22-22, 2323 and 24-24, respectively, of Fig. 21;and

Fig. 25 is an exterior view of the dial shown in 25 Fig. 21.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of these drawings; there is shown more or less in conventional form, a power-driven gasoline dispensing apparatus of the so-called meter type. A suitable rotary pump 2|,

driven by an electric motor 22, draws gasoline through a suction pipe 22' from a suitable storage tank (not shown) and forces the liquid upwardly through piping 23 to a suitable meter 24. Interposed in piping 23 is a valve 25 and a device 26 for freeing the liquid of air just prior to the entrance of the liquid to the meter. The outletof the meter is connected by piping 21 to a flexible hose 28, usually through the intermediary of a sight flow indicator 29. On the delivery end of the hose is a nozzle 30 (Fig. 2) having the usual self-closing valve and an operating lever 3| which, when moved to the left from the position shown, will engage and move the stem 32 of the nozzle valve and open the latter. The nozzle 30 also has a guard 33 for lever 3|. When not in use, the nozzle is hung up by resting the lower portion of this guard 33 upon a fixed, shelf-like support 34 having an upstanding lug 35 whichpasses through a slot in such portion, and holds the nozzle against displacement on its support in all directions other than vertically upward. The lug 35 is perforated, as at 36, to receive a padlock whereby the nozzle may be locked to its support. The lug 35 may if desired serve also to block an opening movement of the valve lever 3| while the nozzle is hung up on its support as well be clear from Fig. 2.

The apparatus, except for the hose, its nozzle, the nozzle support, indicator 28, and a control member later to be described, is usually enclosed in a suitable housing such as the sheet metal casing 3?. Within this housing is a suitable supporting frame, and, as herein shown, this frame includes lower and upper series of vertically disposed pipe columns 38 and 33, respectively. To the columns 38 is fixed a plate 48 supporting both the pump and motor. To the upper columns 38 are fixed two cross bars 40, one of which is shown completely in Fig.- l and both of which appear in section in Fig. 4. These bars 4i serve to support the meter 28, as indicated in part by the brackets 42 (Figs. 1 and 4). They also support the registers and the driving and resetting means therefor.

One or more registers are provided to indicate the quantities of liquid dispensed, As shown in Fig. 4, two registers are provided, one on each of two opposite sides of the apparatus. Each register includes a short cylindrical casing 43, mounted in an opening in housing 31. Each casing 43 .has a solid inner wall 44 and its outer wall 45 is transparent. Within the casing 43 is fixed a dial 46, having inner and outer series of graduations (Fig. l) with which indicating hands 41 and 48, respectively, cooperate. The long hand 48 is intended to make one complete revolution for each unit quantity dispensed, while the short hand 41 shows on the inner graduated scale the number of such unit quantities dispensed.

On the rear wall 44 of each register are lugs 49 which rest upon and are bolted to the adjacent cross bar 4! (Figs. 4, 7, and 8). Extending be tween the two walls 44 and secured at its ends, one to each such wall, is a horizontally disposed cross member 5|! of channel-shaped cross section. A cover plate 5| (Fig. 7) secured as indicated to member 58, cooperates therewith to form a housing for most of the register driving mechanism. v

This mechanism is largely of the conventional type. It includes upper and lower horizontally disposed shafts 52 and 53, mounted within the housing and in bearings 54 provided therein near each end thereof. ,The lower shaft 53 extends through the'rear wall 44 of each register casing to drive the hands 48 which are fixed one to each end of the shaft. The upper shaft 52 terminates short of such walls and has fixed to each end in the manner shown in' Fig. 20 a mounted to turn freely on shaft 53 and has fixed thereto the indicator hand 41. Preferably each gear 55 has associated therewith a second gear 58 of the same diameter and pitch. Each gear 58 is free to turn on shaft 52 to a limited extent. As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, a pin 59 on gear 55 passes through an arcuate slot 68 intgear 58 which slot limits the extent of relative movement of the gears. A spring 6| inter.- connecting the two gears and acting between pin 58 and one end'of slot 68, tends to swing them apart so that their teeth do not line up. a This arrangementis the usual one for taking up all backlash in the driving connections between shaft 52 and sleeve 51. Shafts 52 and 53 are driven from a vertical shaft 62 (Figs. 4 and 6) but at different are connected to their respective shafts in the 1b manner shown in Fig. 5 in connection with gear 68. Such gear is free to turn on a sleeve 69. One end of this sleeve has a flange 18 which is I pinned at H to shaft 52. The other end of sleeve 63 is threaded to receive a nut 12. A spring 13, 5 coiled around sleeve 69 acts between the adjustable abutment 12 and a flange 14 onthe hub 15 of gear 68 to press the latter again st flange 18. The gear 68 thus drives shaft 52 through the intermediary of a friction clutch and the gear 66 20 drives its shaft 53 in the same way. This enables both shafts 52 and. 53 to be turned to reset hands 41 and. 48 to zero without turning the gears 66 and 68 and shaft 62. The hub 15 is grooved (Fig. 5) to receive the substantially semi- 5 circular ends of two friction plates 16. These plates are drawn together by a bolt 11 (Fig. 6) and nut 18, the latter acting on one plate 16 through the intermediary of a spring 18. This pair of plates acts as a friction drag for both gears 66 0 and 66. By having the friction device act on the gears rather than the shafts driven thereby, resetting of the pointers is accomplished with less effort because the shafts only need to be turned for this purpose and they are free from 35 the drag of the friction device.

Stops are provided for each of the indicator hands. As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, one of the gears 56 has fixed to one side thereof a cam 88 and adjacent thereto and fixed to shaft 53 is a 40 similar but smaller cam 89. The arrow shown in Fig. 19 indicates the direction of travel of the cams while being driven by the meter shaft 62. Shaft 53 will be turned in the opposite direction by means later to be described, to reset 45 the hands to zero. When the hands are both at zero, the abrupt radial face 82 of cam 88 will be engaged by the end of a pawl 83, mounted to turn freely on shaft 52 and constantly urged by its weighted extension 84 into engagementwith 5 the spirally-shaped surface of the cam. Also, the corresponding face 85 of the correspondingly formed cam 8| will be engaged by the free end of a pawl 86, pivoted at 81 to gear 56 and urged by a spring 88 into engagement with the spiral 55 surface of the cam. During operation of the meter, shaft 53 will turn in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig; 19, and the face 85 of cam 8| will move away from pawl 86. Gear 56 will also turn in the same direction but at a 0 slower speed and thus will carry the face 82 of cam 88 away from pawl 63. Shaft 53 will usually make several revolutions and the nature of cam 8| is such that it may do so. The cam is similarly constructed for similar reasons although the indicator hand 41 will rarely make .more than one complete revolution. The resetting of the hands is effected by turning shaft 53 in'a direction opposite to that indicated by the rates and in opposite directions. As shown, the will be turned with shaft 53. On continued turn- 15 ing of shaft 53 in the same direction, gear 56 will be moved until the cam face 82 is arrested by the abutment with the free end of pawl 83. Both hands 41 and 48 will then be restored to zero position. Thus, in resetting, the indicator 48 is moved back until it overlies and coincides in position with the indicator 41. Then both indicators move in unison to zero position,-the pawl 83 serving as the zero stop for both.

The shaft 53 is connected by bevel gears 89 (Figs. 4 and '7) to a short shaft 90, which is mounted in the rear wall of member 50. As shown in Fig. '7, the outer end of shaft is connected by a flexible coupling 9I to one end of a second and substantially axially alined shaft 92. The latter is rotatably supported in a stud 93 (Fig. 17) which is clamped to a vertically disposed, flat, stationarily supported plate 94 by a nut 95. Fixed to this shaft is a ratchet 98 having a single tooth (Fig. 11) with an abrupt radial shoulder ,91. Between the ratchet and stud 93, a flanged hub 98 is mounted to turn freely on shaft 92. Mounted to turn freely on hub 98 with one face engaging the flange thereof is a gear 99. That part of the hub 98 which projects beyond gear 99 is made of smaller diameter to receive an arm I00, which at one end pivotally supports a pawl IOI adapted to engage the ratchet 96. A' bowed spring I02 (Fig. 11) connected at one end to gear 99 and at the other to pawl IIII, tends to hold the latter against the spirally shaped surface of ratchet 98. The end of hub 98 (Fig. 17) is crimped over against the arm I00 to hold the latter in proper axial position and this arm serves to prevent undue axial displacement of gear 99. The other end of arm I00 has fixed thereto a pin I03 which extends into a slot I04 (Fig. 11) formed in gear 99 and curved concentrically with respect thereto. This pin I03 serves also as a pivot for one end of a link I05 which, at its other end, is pivotally connected to the free end of an arm I06 pivoted to gear 99 at I01. A spring I08 connects arm I08 to gear 99 and tends to hold this arm and link I05 and arm I00 in the positions illustrated wherein pin I03 engages one end of slot I04. The shaft 92 at all times turns with shaft 53, being directly connected therewith through the described coupling 9!, shaft 90 and gearing'89. This coupling 9I is simply a tube with diametrically disposed slots 9| in each end, in which pins such as that shown at I09 in Fig. 17 are engaged. The inner periphery of the tube engages a ball element such as shown at H0.

The gear 99 and the parts carried thereby form part of the pointer resetting mechanism. Gear 99 may be turned, when required, by an overlying gear I I I, which is mounted to slide vertically into and out of mesh with gear 99. This gear III (Fig. 16) is welded to a hub I I2 which is mounted to turn on a stud II3 fixed to a slide II4. This slide lies contiguous with the inner face of the supporting plate 94 and near its lower end has a vertically elongated slot II5 (Fig. 15) to encompass a short, smooth, cylindrical portion IIG .(see also Fig. 17) of stud 93 which serves as one guide for-the slide. The flange II1 of stud 93 (Fig. 1'7) holds the slide H4 in place on plate 94. This plate 94 (Fig. 15) is provided with upper and lower vertically elongated slots H8 and H9, respectively. A roll I20 (Figs. 15 and 18) mounted on a stud I2I, fixed to the lower end of slide II4, projects through and beyond the lower slot II9. A flanged cylindrical spacer I22 (Figs. 15 and 16) rides in the upper slot I I8 and the flange thereof engages the outer face of ,plate94. This spacer receives a portion of stud H3 and is clamped to slide II 4 by a nut I23, threaded on the outer end of the stud. The slide H4 is thus slidably held to and guided on plate 94 and the 5 slots H5, H8 and H9 afford freedom for it to move up and down within the necessary limits.

A spring I24 (Fig. 7) is connected at one end to stud I I3 and at the other end to a lug I25 struckv out from plate 94. This spring tends to hold 10 slide I I4 in its lower position with gear III in mesh with gear 99.

For convenience in resetting the pointers of the register from outside the casing 31, a suitable handle I28 is provided. This handle is fixed 15 to one end of a shaft I21 which extends across inside the casing to the gear III. The inner end of this shaft is telescoped into the inner and hollow end of hub II2, which has diametrically disposed slots I28 to receive driving pins I29 20 radially fixed to shaft I21. The shaft I21, at its other end, is supported sufliciently loosely in a bearing I30 to enable its inner end to be raised to mesh gear III with gear 99, the axes of gear III and shaft I21 align, whereby the shaft may then be turned freely to rotate gear III and thus gear 99 and the parts carried thereby.

The slide H4 is raised and lowered by means 3 of a cam I3I which cooperates with the roll I20, already described. This cam is turned by a lever I32 which operates the flow control mecha nism. Figs. 9 and 10 clearly show the slide H4 in lowered and raised positions, respectively. The 5 control lever I32 is fixed to the outer end of a shaft I 33 (Fig. 'l) which'is rotatably supported in two depending parts I34 of a'bracket I35. To the outer face of the outermost part I34 is secured the hose nozzle support 35 (Figs. 7 and 40 8). Projecting from the inner face of the innermost part I 34 are bosses I36 (Fig. 8) to which the plate 94 is secured by cap screws I31. The bracket I35 has flanges I38 which abut an upstanding flange I39 on the described cross bar 5 H and are secured thereto by cap screws I49. On the inner end of shaft is fixed the cam I3I and also fixed to this shaft, at a point between the bearing parts I34, is a crank arm I4I to the free end of which is fixed a stud affording 5 a crank pin I42 to ride in the slot I43 of an arm I44, pivoted at I45 to bracket I35. The free end of arm I44 is connected by a link I48 (Fig. 7) to the operating lever I41 of valve 25 and such lever is connected by a link I48 (Figs. 1 and 3) 55 to the operating lever I49 of a switch I50 which is adapted to start and stop the driving motor 22 of pump 2I.

When lever I32 is in the full line position shown in Fig. 3, the valve 25 is closed and switch 50 open. It will be seen that the lever I32 must be moved to such position before the hose nozzle can be placed on the support 34. It will also be seen from Fig. 2 that when the hose nozzle is in place on support 34, it prevents movement of Q5 lever I32 into the dotted line and vertical position illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby operation of the dispensing apparatus is then .prevented. When the lever I32 is in its vertical position, the valve 25 is open and switch I50 is closed, whereby 7 the pump 2| is in operation and liquid may be dispensed from nozzle 30 whenever its valve is opened. It will also be seen that when the lever I32 is moved from the off position shown in Fig. 11 to the on position shown in Fig. 14, 7g

the slide H4 is raised and gear IIi is disengaged from gear 99.

To guard against improper operation of the apparatus, locking means shown in Figs. 11 to 15 are provided for the slide II4. A locking pawl I5I is pivoted to plate 94 at I52 and has a lockingtooth I53, adapted to engage in a notch I54 in one vertical side edge of the slide I I9. This tooth I53 will be engaged by a' shoulder I55 on the slide before the latter can be lifted far enough to open valve or close switch I59. The pawl I5i has at its upper end a shoulder I56 adapted to be engaged by the tooth I5! of a latch arm I58, pivoted to plate 94 at I59. This latch arm I53 also has a tooth I60 adapted to project into a notch I BI in slide H4. A shoulder I62 at 'one end of this notch is adapted to engage and move tooth I60 and lift and release the latch, when the slide I I4 is raised. A spring I63 interconnects the latch arm and locking pawl and tends to hold the tooth I53 against the notched side edge of slide H9 and the latch tooth I511 against the upper end of the pawl. A stop I64 fixed to plate II4 limits the extent of outward (counterclockwise) movement of the pawl IN. The pawl I5i carries an abutment I65 adapted to be engaged by the free end'of the arm I00, carried by gear 99.

The operation of 1 the apparatus will next be described. Assuming that the apparatus has been stopped and the hose nozzle hung up on its support 34 as shown in Fig, 2, the control lever I32 is held in its inclined position (shown by full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Figs. 9 and 11) the valve 25 has previously been closed and switch I50 opened because of the lowering of arm I44 caused by movement of the crank I46 which was moved by the lever I32 when it moved into its inclined position. So also, the movement of lever I32 into such position turned the cam I3i into the position shown in Figs. 9 and 11 and caused the lowering of slide II4 by spring H4. The locking tooth I53 of pawl I5i is engaged in the notch I 54 of slide II4 and the gears 99 and III of the resetting transmission are in mesh as shown in Fig. 11. The only operation then possible is that of resetting of the pointers of the register to zero. Vertical movement of slide II4, to an extent sufficient to enable valve 25 to be opened and switch I59 to be closed, is prevented by the locking tooth I53 and its cooperating shoulder I55. This tooth can be withdrawn from notch I54 only after the register pointers have been reset to zero. This result is effected by continued movement of the resetting means, which is permitted to a limited degree by relatively yieldable parts in the resetting transmission, after the pointers have been arrested by the stops 83 and 86, above described, in zero position.

To reset the pointers, the handle I26 is turned. This rotates gear III and, since gear III is then in mesh with gear 99, the latter is turned. Rotation of gear 99 in a counterclockwise direction will. through pawl I9I which is engaged with the shoulder 91 of the single tooth ratchet 96, turn shaft 92 and thus through the connections described turn shaft 53 in the proper direction to reset the pointers. Should the operator turn the handle I26 in the wrong direction, either accidentally or in an attempt to advance rather than reset the pointers, the pawl IOI will move away from the ratchet and no movement of shaft 92 will result. The pawl IOI ordinarily moves with the gear and without movement relatively thereto because the spring I08 holds pin I03 at the lower end of slot I04. During the previous operation of the dispensing apparatus, the ratchet 96 moved away from the position shown in Fig. 11 and, in so moving turned gear 99 by means of pawl I M and the connections described. After the gear 99 has been turned in a counterclockwise direction until the pointers have been restored to zero position, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 11. The stops 83 and 86, above described, prevent further movement of 10 shaft 53, and thus also shaft 92, in a counterclockwise direction. The ratchet 96 is thus held stationary.

Although the indicators 41 and 49 are now-at zero position, the slide H4 is not yet unlocked. 15 Continued movement of the resetting transmission is necessary for this 'purpose. Continued counterclockwise movement of gear 99 is made possible by the slot I 04 and such continued movement of the gear effects the release of the slide an M4, enabling it to be raised by lever I32 and the pump to be started. As the gear 99 continues its counterclockwise movement, after ratchet 92 has been stopped, the arm I06 is moved to the left and its left hand end engages the abutment I65 25 on pawl 'I5I and moves the latter into the position shown in Fig. 12, wherein the tooth I53 is withdrawn from notch I 54, thus releasing slide II4 for vertically upward movement. At the same time the shoulder I56 on the pawl I5I has been moved to the left of the tooth I5I of latch I56, and that tooth has dropped down into position to engage the shoulder. After the parts have been moved into the positions shown in Fig. 12, the resetting handle cannot be turned any more in the same direction, its movement being arrested by the abutment of pawl I5! with stop I64. The operator will then release the handle, whereupon the gear 99 will be moved a little in a clockwise direction until the parts come to rest in the positions shown in Fig. 13. The spring I08, pulling down on arm I06 will cause gear 99 to turn until the lower end of slot I04 abuts pin I03. The impact of the engagement of parts I04 and I03 may even cause a somewhat greater clockwise movement of the gear 99 and in such case the arm I00 will then be moved with it. But the pawl I M can move away from ratchet 96 and thus no shock can be imposed on the shaft 92, which is connected with the pointers 5o of the register.

, The locking pawl I5I; having been withdrawn from looking engagement'with slide I I4, is held away from the slide by the latch arm I58, the

tooth I 5'! of which engages the shoulder I56. The slide II4 may then be moved vertically upward by cam IN and thus the control lever I 32 is free to move from its off position shown in Figs. 9 and 13 to its on position shown in Figs.

10 and 14. It should be noted that the slot I43 in lever I 44 has a dwell portion I43 at one end thereof and that this dwell enables the control lever I32 to be moved during acertain initial portion of its movementfrom the position of Figs. 9 and 13 toward that of Figs. 10 and 14 05 without moving the lever I44. The slide II4, which is lifted by cam I3I, starts to rise immediately that the lever I32 is turned in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 13 and rises far enough to disengage gear III from gear 99 before the lever I44 begins to swing downwardly. This arrangement prevents the valve 25 from being opened in the least degree (even cracked from its seat) until the resetting gears are disengaged. It also, of course, prevents switch I50 from clos- 70 ing. After the slide II 4 has moved upwardly a short distance, the shoulder I62 engages tooth I60 of latch I58 and lifts the tooth I51 away from shoulder I 56 of pawl I 5|, thus releasing the latter and allowing it to be moved by spring I63 until its locking tooth I53 engages the side edge of slide I I 4 at a position below notch I54. Thus, the locking pawl is placed in readiness to again lock the slide when the latter is moved downwardly again.

The lever I32 had to be swung into the vertical position illustrated in Fig. 14 in order to move the slide II4 into the position there shown and such movement of the lever caused the switch I50 to be closed and valve 25 to be opened. A notch I43 is provided in the outer end of slot I43 to receive crank pin I42, when the parts are positioned as in Fig. 10 with the valve 25 opened and switch I50 closed. As will be clear from Fig. 7, the valve is of the spring loaded type and tends to move automatically to closed position. There is thus an upward thrust on rod I46 and to guard against accidental movement of lever I44 by this thrust the recess I43 is provided to hold the lever securely in the on position shown in Fig. 10.

The pump 2|, having been started, liquid is dispensed through hose 28 and nozzle 30 in the usual way and the quantity dispensed is indicated on the register by the hands 41 and 48. As soon as the desired quantity has been dispensed, the operator will move lever I32 from the position shown in Figs. 10 and 14 to that shown in Figs. 9 and 11. He is compelled to so move lever I32 in order to hang up nozzle 30 on its support 34. This will move slide II4 downwardly and as the slide moves downwardly, the tooth I53 of the locking pawl I5I engages in notch I54 of the slide to lock the same against upward movement. This locking occurs before the resetting gears 99 and III are enmeshed. Also, the latch I58 drops down into position where it is again effective to hold the pawl I5I when it is again moved out of locking position. This movement of lever I32 also closes valve 25 and opens switch I50 and this operation is completely performed before the resetting gears engage. The pump is thus stopped and locked in stopp d position. The resetting gears are also engaged and the pump cannot be unlocked until these resetting gears have been turned, as above described, to return both indicators 41 and 48 to zero and then moved an additional distance to release the pawl I5I. One may swing the lever I32 upward from its Off position a short distance, but not enough to even crack open valve 25 or close switch I50 and although the resetting gears may be thus disengaged, the turning of the resetting handle I26 is futile. One must reengage these gears and turn handle I26 until the hands are returned to zero and then an additional amount before slide II4 can be lifted far enough to enable the pump to be started.

In some localities, objection is raised against the plan of resetting the indicator hands to zero in the manner described, to this extent, viz., that it is possible for one hand to be moved part way back to zero before any movement of the other hand occurs. The objection will best be understood from Fig. 25, which shows a register graduated in liters with the outer and shorter hand 48 indicating centiliters and the inner and longer hand 41' indicating liters. Assume that seven liters have been delivered, the hand 41 stands at 1 and the hand 48 at zero. Now, if

: be less than the quantity of liquid delivered.

the resetting is started according to" the plan described, only the hand 41'5will move at first and hand 48 will not move at all until hand 41' is moved into coincidence with it. Accordingly, a

dishonest operator might? by a partial operation 5 of the resetting means turn hand 41 back, say to 95 centiliters, and stop. The register then indicates 1.95 liters, whereas only seven have been delivered. To guard against this possibility, the arrangement shown in Figs. 21 to 24 is used, and 10 the purpose of such arrangement is to move both hands 41 and 48' simultaneously on the initial operation of the resetting mechanism. Thus, in the case just above described, the hand 48 would move back toward zero the instant 15 hand 41' was moved and preferably at about the same speed. Hence, when hand 41' reached 95 on the register, hand 48 would have nearly reached 2. The indication would thus always 20 To effect this result, the indicator shaft which is the one first turned by the restting means, is made to immediately turn the other indicator shaft. In Fig. 21, the construction is essentially the same as that already described except for 25 the addition of means to overcome the objection just described and except for two minor changes, hereinafter described, which are desired on pumps intended for the European trade. But the register is of the same construction and the 30 stops shown in Figs. 19 and 20 are used as before. Accordingly, parts in Fig. 21 which correspond with those described have been given the same reference numerals with the addition of a prime. On shaft 53' is fixed a ratchet I66 and mounted 35 to turn freely on the hub thereof is a gear I61 which, as shown in Fig. 24, has projecting from one end face thereof three angularly spaced studs I68, each pivotally supporting a spring pressed pawl I69 adapted to engage the teeth of 40 the ratchet. The springs I10 for the pawls are pivotally supported on pins I1I fixed to said face of the gear and they are forced to bear against the pawls by the periphery of a casing I12, which encompasses them together with the ratchet 45 and pawls. Clockwise rotation of shaft 53 (in the direction in which it is driven by meter shaft 62') is permitted without moving gear I61 but when shaft 53' is turned counterclockwise to reset the pointers, one of the three pawls I68 5 will quickly engage the ratchet I66 and cause gear I61 to be turned. From Fig. 24 it will be noted that the spacing of the pawls is such that the maximum movement of shaft 53 possible before gear I61 is driven is no more than onethird of the length of one tooth of the ratchet. The gear I61 which is held against axial displacement between a collar I13 and a shoulder on the ratchet, drives a gear I14 which drives shaft 52 through a friction clutch of the same general form as that shown in Fig. 5. That is, a spring I15 acts against an adjustable abutment I16 on the threaded end of a sleeve I 11 to press a friction disk I18 against one end face of gear I14, the other face thereof abutting a flange I19 on the sleeve and the sleeve being fixed to shaft 52'. The tension of spring I15 is so adjusted as to-be greater than that of spring 13 on the same shaft so that the sleeve 69' will slip on worm gear 68'. Thus, in resetting, shaft 52' will initially turn 70 with shaft 53' and continue to turn with it until the hand 41 is arrested in zero position by the engagement of the shoulder 82' on cam w1th pawl 83. Then, shaft 53' can continue to turn, without turning shaft 52' until the shoulder 85' 75 of cam 8| abuts pawl 88. Then both hands will by improper manipulation of the be at zero.

In Fig. 21, the meter shaft 62' drives the shaft 53' through intermeshing spiral gears 65 and 66' as before, but it does not directly drive worm 61'. The latter is mounted on a separate shaft 080, the lower end of which is connected by spur gearing I8I with a parallel shaft 582 mounted in casing 50. Shaft I82 is connected by spur gearing I83 with the upper end of shaft 82'. The interposed gearing MI and I83 effects the additional speed reduction necessary to make the registers indicate liters and fractions thereof instead of gallons and fractions thereof, as first described.

The other difference in the structure shown in Fig. 21 consists in the interposition between the drive shafts 52' and 53' and one of the registers of reversing gearing, so that the hands of both registers will be driven in the same (clockwise) direction during a dispensing operation. The shaft 53' drives the right hand indicator hand 41' as before, but the left hand indicator 41' is driven through reversing gearing, comprising a bevel gear I84 fixed on shaft 53', an idler bevel gear I85 mounted in casing 58 and a bevel gear I88 fixed on a short shaft I81 which is aligned with shaft 53' and carries the other indicator 41. So also, in the drive from shaft 52' to the left hand indicator hand 48, the two spur gears 55' and 56' are made of smaller diameter and the former drives the latter through an idler gear I88 to secure the change in direction.

Thus, the invention provides an interlock between the pump controlling means and the register resetting means for preventing the delivery of liquid from the apparatus until the hands 41 and 48 of the register have been completely reset to zero. The pump cannot be started when these hands are even a slight distance away from zero position. They must be moved all the way into such position because the releasing means is effective only after the driving shafts of the register have been arrested by the stop 83. The arrangement effectually prevents operation to any degree of the pump and the resetting means at the same time and forces alternate operation of these elements. One cannot by improper manipulation of the resetting crank I28, retard the operation of the indicator hands during the pumping operation. Nor can one move the indicator hands ahead by turning the crank I28. Heretofore, a dishonest operator might, by rapidly moving the control lever I32 on and off, make the hands of the register creep ahead and indicate a quantity greater than had been delivered. Such practice is effectually stopped by this invention because the instant that the lever is moved far enough to start the apparatus, it is locked in on position and cannot be unlocked untilafter' the hands 41 and 48 have been completely reset. The invention thus prevents errors in measurement, with the resulting fraud on the customer pump control lever.

What I claim is:

1. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, a register having a movable indicator driven by the meter, means for resetting said indicator to zero position, means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, locking means for holding said element in position to stop said flow, means to move said element into position to be held by said looking means, and means operable by continued when said gears are engaged, and means operoperation of said resetting means after said indicator has been reset to zero position to release said locking means and release said element for movement into position to start said flow.

2. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, 5 means for effecting flow of liquid therethrough, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, locking means automatically engageable with said element when moved into position to stop said flow to hold it in such position, a register including a rotatable quantity indicator driven by the meter, means for resetting said indicator to zero, a stop to positively arrest the indicator in zero position, said resetting means including as elements of the transmission for turning said indicator yieldably connected parts which are relatively movable after the indicator in its resetting movement is arrested by said stop,

- and means operable by such relative rotation to release said locking means and allow said element to be moved into position to start said flow.

. 3. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, locking means automatically en- 25 gageable with said element when moved into position to stop said flow to hold it in such position,

a movable indicator driven by the meter, means to reset said indicator to zero including a transmission element yieldably connected to the in- 30 dicator and normally turning therewith but capable of turning relatively thereto after the indicator has been reset to zero, a stop to arrest the indicator when it reaches zero position and enable said transmission element to be turned rela 35 tively thereto, and means operable by said rela-- tive movement of said transmission element to release said locking means and allow said element to be moved to start said flow.

4. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter,

means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, a movable indicator driven in one direction by the meter, a resetting transmission for moving said indicator in the other direction and restoring it to zero position, said transmission including a pair of gears, a slide on which one of said gears is mounted and by which it is movable into and out of mesh with the other gear, means automatically operable on movement of 50 said slide intoposition to emnesh said gears to lock the slide in'such position, connections between said slide and flow control element for holding the latter in position to stop said flow able only after said transmission has been actuated to reset said indicator to zero to release said locking means.

5. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, a movable indicator driven in one direction by the meter, a resetting transmission for moving said indicator in the other direction and restoring it to zero position, said transmission including two members which are relatively separable to render the transmission ineffective to reset said indicator, means including a part movable to and fro to effect engagement and disengagement of said members, means automatically operable on movement of said part into position to engage said members to lock the part in such position, connections between said part and element for holding the latter in position to stop aid flow when said members are engaged, and

means operable by said transmission and only after said indicator has been reset to zero to release said-locking means.

6. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter,

' means for eflfecting flow of liquid through the -and restoring it to zero position, a member interconnected with the flow control element to move back and forth therewith and operable to render said transmission eii'ective or ineffective to reset said indicator accordingly as said element is positioned to stop or start said flow, a locking device yieldingly urged toward said member, said member having a recess so located as to receive said device when the member is moved into position to stop said flow, said device when engaged in said recess preventing the member from being moved sufficiently-to start said flow, and means operable on continued movement of said transmission after said indicator has been moved to zero position to withdraw said device from said recess.

7. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, a movable indicator driven in one direction by the meter, a resetting transmission for moving said indicator in the other direction and restoring it to zero position, a member interconnected with the flow control element to move back and forth therewith and operable to render said transmission eifective or ineffective to reset said indicator accordingly as said element is positioned to stop or start said flow, a locking device yieldingly urged toward said member, said member having a recess so located as to receive said device when the member is moved into position to stop said flow, said device when engaged in said recess preventing the member from being moved sufii'ciently to start said flow, means operable on continued movement of said transmission after said indicator has been moved to zero position to withdraw said device from said recess, a latch automatically engageable with the looking device when withdrawn to temporarily hold it in withdrawn position and prevent its reengagement in said recess until said member has been moved, and means on the member operable to release the latch from the locking device after the member has been moved sufficiently to enable said flow to be started.

8. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter,

der said transmission effective or ineffective to reset said indicator accordingly as said element is positioned to stop or start said flow, a pivoted locking pawl, a pivoted latch for the pawl, resilient means tending to force the pawl against said member and the latch toward said pawl, said member having a recess located to receive the pawl when the member is in position to stop said flow and a shoulder in the path of which said latch is located and by which the latch is moved out of engagement with the pawl when the member is moved into position to start said flow, and

means operable by said transmission after the indicator has been reset to zero to withdraw said pawl from said recess and into position to be engaged and held by said latch. Y

9. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter,

means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, a movable indicator driven in one direction by the meter, a resetting transmission for moving said indicator in the other direction 10 and restoring it to zero position, a member interconnected with said element to move therewith and operable to render said transmission effective or ineffective to reset said indicator accordingly as said element is positioned to stop or start said flow, a locking device engageable with said member when moved by said element into flow-stopping position to hold it thus positioned, said transmission including two yieldably connected parts normally turning with said indicator and one of which is movable after the other has been stopped by the arrival of said indicator at zero position, said movable part operable on continued movement of said transmission after said indicator has been reset to zero to engage said locking device and withdraw it from looking engagement with said member.

10. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, a movable indicator driven in one direction by the meter, a resetting transmission for moving said indicator in the other direction and restoring it to zero position, a member interconnected with said element to move therewith and operable to render said transmission eiiective or ineffective to reset said indicator accordingly as said element is positioned to stop or start said flow, a locking device engageable with said member when moved by said element into flowstopping position to hold it thus positioned, said transmission including two parts mounted side by side and a shaft supporting both ofthem, one of said parts normally turning with said shaft and the other being free to turn thereon, a pin on one of said parts, the other of said parts having anarcuate slot to receive said pin and permit limited relative angular movement between the parts, resilient means normally holding said pin at one end of its slot, and means operable by the relative movement between said parts to withdraw said locking device from locking engagement with said member.

11. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a meter, means for effecting flow of liquid through the meter, a control element movable to start and stop said flow, a movable indicator driven in one direction by the meter, a resetting transmission for moving said indicator in the other direction and restoring it to zero position, a member inter- 0 connected with said element to move therewith and operable to render said transmission efiective or ineffective to reset said indicator accordingly as said element is positioned to stop or start said flow, a locking device engageable with said member when moved by said element into fiowstopping position to hold it thus positioned, said transmission including two parts mounted side by side and a shaft supporting both of them, one of said parts normally "turning with said shaft and the other being free to turn thereon, a pin on one of said parts, the other of said parts having an arcuate slot to receive said pin and permit limited relative angular movement between the parts, resilient means normally holding said pin at one end of its slot, a pair of links pivotaily interconnected at one end and disposed roughly at right angles, said links being pivotally connected at their other ends one to one of said parts and the other to the other of said parts, the interconnected ends of said links means for 'efl'ecting flow of liquid through the meter, a pair of rotatable indicators differential- 1y driven by the meter one to indicate unit quantities and the other to indicate fractions of such quantities, a drive shaft for each-indicator, a

shaft driven by the meter, driving connections between the last named shaft and each indicator a shaft including a slip connection enabling each indicator shaft to be turned without turning the meter shaft in order to reset the indicators to zero, and means interconnecting said shafts and operablelonly when one of them is turned in the direction necessary to reset its indicator to compel simultaneous resetting movement of the other shaft, whereby the initial resetting movement of either indicator is accompanied by a resetting movement of the other indicator.

WARREN H. DE LANCEY. 

